A Sublime S Chute TR: 12/03/06

S-Chute
2700 Vert

Pic from last year
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_50439.jpg

Couldn't get out to ski the snow from last week until Sunday, but with the cold weather we knew there had to be some powder still lying around. Trying to think of something that wouldnt be wind-loaded or wind-scoured the Sky Chutes came to mind.

Didn't start skinning until after 9:30 but it was still ass cold in the shade. Thankfully some snowboarder had hiked up to the base of the chute which cut down our skinning at the begining.

Heading up:
http://www.biglines.com/photosv2/200...ines_69071.jpg

We worked our way up the chute and found 1-2' of unconsolidated, cold pow. It was exciting to know we were going to get some nice snow to ski but it meant for some tough trailbreaking. We also didnt want to zig-zag up the chute,so we went straight up. It made it harder but it was worth it on the way down.

It took a little over three hours to skin up, but it was a beautiful day so I didnt mind too much.

The view from the top, watching the ants marching at Copper

http://www.biglines.com/photosv2/200...ines_69072.jpg

We made our way to within about 400 vert of the ridge of the ten mile. We considered going all the way to the top, but the snow started to get more wind-affected higher up and I was tired an wanted to ski pow.

Dropping into the top pitch

http://www.biglines.com/photosv2/200...ines_69073.jpg

Many turns to be made

http://www.biglines.com/photosv2/200...ines_69074.jpg

The above treeline section was a fun, windbuffed 6-12", making for some nice turns. After getting past the crux we still had another 1000 vert of fun turns through the sheltered snow.

Ben heading down

http://www.biglines.com/photosv2/200...ines_69075.jpg

http://www.biglines.com/photosv2/200...ines_69076.jpg

Looking up at our handy work

http://www.biglines.com/photosv2/200...ines_69077.jpg

All in all it was a great day, it was awesome to ski such a big line in nice pow conditions. Everything felt super stable. Dug a couple of pits, found a very unconsolidated 2 feet or so of snow on top and then about a foot of harder stuff underneath. Definitely some depth hoar formation at the bottom and we were a little sketched by the shallowness of the pack. However, there was little to no energy in the upper layers and we didnt find any movement at all.

Sorry there arent more pics but my camera was not happy about the cold and neither were my hands.

Good work.

Sweeeeeet. I wish I had done that on Sunday instead of going to another wedding.

Beauty! :cool:

Looks like you got some really nice turns in there. Those turns look super smooth.

I love that last picture. looks like one long line.

Good show, well done, sweet line etc. etc.........

Really, I mean it; I'm just feeling silly at having so little to say to all these great TRs of late. :wink:

Way to smoke off a beautiful line!

Nice work, bud. It looks like I'll be traveling to CO for skiing this winter - I'd love to get out for a tour with you.

Sweet. I've been staring at those chutes for years riding the lifts at copper. So cool to see that perspective.

It's 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky here so I have no memory of what skiing feels like, but that looks nice.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nhtele

Nice work, bud. It looks like I'll be traveling to CO for skiing this winter - I'd love to get out for a tour with you.

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What are you doing the weekend of the 15th? Mammoth has an astounding 9" of snowfall to date, so I'm thinking of flying somewhere.

Excellent work!

Nice work. Have K & Y been hit yet?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BigKuba

What are you doing the weekend of the 15th? Mammoth has an astounding 9" of snowfall to date, so I'm thinking of flying somewhere.

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Well, based on our earlier conversation I've cleared my schedule. However, I'm not super-keen on driving much more than 5 hours for a weekend (I'd hit CO if it got slammed, though), so hopefully that storm in the Pacific will deliver and we can convene in SLC?

I was wondering whose tracks those were. Anyone interested in hitting K or Y? The trees at the top of K are supposedly pretty killer.

Youse guys should definitely come to CO, there is plent of fun to be found. I have no idea what my schedule will be though, i have to wait for some little gray hair lady sitting in a office to tell me and that won't be until the begining of January. Looks like I am going to be out of Denver for most of February/ begining of March. I will be either in Glenwood which would be sweet or maybe Alamosa, which is much farther from anywhere else, except its not too far from Wolf Creek.

Nice turns, but those things are death traps

Nice - looks like much better snow that when we skied it a couple of years ago.

I'm ready to do K. But I ain't walkin from the bottom. :D ;)

nice work mang

SWEEEEEEEEETNESS! Looks like some great turns!

nice! looks x1000 better than when we got in there a month and a half ago...

Is it easier to cut over from Breck? How long does that route take?

there is no gate, and breck patrol will hastle the fuck out of you if they catch you ducking the rope. jsut FYI.

thanks, is the terrain open at breck where you can access it from?

no... you'd have to duck the rope and traverse the ridge down for a while